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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22765687">Catra and Glimmer Alone Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bikingpaladin/pseuds/bikingpaladin'>bikingpaladin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Depression, Enemies to Friends, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Literal Sleeping Together, Self-Destructive Character, Self-Esteem Issues, Sharing a Bed, Sleeping arrangements</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 12:27:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22765687</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bikingpaladin/pseuds/bikingpaladin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nothing says Glitra and Hurt/Comfort fic inspiration like that Season 4 finale.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Synchronised Screaming</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Catra and Glimmer Alone Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elleth/gifts">Elleth</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/gifts">Kiraly</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic contains major spoilers for Season 4 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, especially for the final episode in the season, Destiny Part 2. Catra needs therapy.</p><p>A gift for Elleth and Kiraly, inspired by conversations with both of you.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>“Thank you for your allegiance, child. All creatures no matter how small have a place in service of Horde Prime.”</i>
</p><p>Glimmer and Catra were locked into a holding cell together. Catra idly noted it wasn’t dissimilar to being locked up in the Fright Zone’s prison. One bench barely big enough for one person to lie on top of, a tiny toilet on the side, harsh overhead fluorescent lime green lighting...and <i>best</i> of all, it was that irregular hexagon shape that made the room feel even smaller than it actually was.</p><p>Guess Hordak got his interior decorating ideas from his big brother.</p><p>
  <i>“What are you waiting for? Do it.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“Looks like we’re both alone, Sparkles.”</i>
</p><p>Glimmer wept quietly, leaned against the farthest corner from the hard light door.</p><p>
  <i>“So? I thought you wanted to win. Use your weapon.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I can’t. It would destroy everything. I have to try and stop it.”</i>
</p><p>Catra tried to understand why Glimmer wouldn't use the Heart of Etheria to win...whether or not it would destroy everything. Wouldn’t it be better that way? One last win to settle the score before disappearing forever into the void...that was all Catra wanted from life anymore. Everything other than winning felt so pointless.</p><p>Glimmer wiped her eyes and allowed herself one last sniffle before she decided she was ready to speak.</p><p>“Hey, Catra?”</p><p>Catra’s hackles raised. Just hearing those words anymore hurt...too many people had used them before they went and utterly destroyed her life. And the painful part was, Glimmer sounded <i>just</i> like Adora, <i>just</i> like Scorpia right now.</p><p>“Thank you. For saving me back there...” Glimmer said.</p><p>Catra tried to relax the raised hairs of her back. Okay, no emotional suffering yet. Not out of the clear, but at least she wanted to enjoy this temporary comfort while it lasted.</p><p>To Catra, that was life, anyways. It was hurt and then it was just a little bit of comfort. Just enough of that comfort, just enough to not give up on life, but not enough to feel any better after everything she’d already been through.</p><p>Catra chuckled harshly. “Yeah. What a load of good it did for us. Look where we’re at.”</p><p>Jail. Again. Catra was beginning to wonder if this time she’d never be let out again. It had to happen one of these times, that she’d finally lost everything, and there would be no hope left. None of this half-parsed hope that she’d reach for and then get beaten up for ever daring to believe she deserved something better than wasting away locked somewhere no one would ever find her.</p><p>She was alone.</p><p>Glimmer quietly sat on the bench next to Catra. Catra thought about hissing at her for getting too close, or at least telling her to back off, but one look at Glimmer’s face and Catra decided that neither of those options would be any good. This was the same princess...no, the same <i>queen</i> who dragged Catra kicking and screaming across the Whispering Woods in an attempt to take her prisoner.</p><p>“I’m sorry I got us into this.” Glimmer said.</p><p>Catra scoffed. “Don’t apologize. It’s not like it was your fault that Hordak Prime locked us in here.”</p><p>“I mean for getting us stuck on this ship. For trying to hurt you so many times...I know you feel like I took Adora away from you.” Glimmer said.</p><p>Catra’s ears flattened as soon as she heard Adora’s name.</p><p>Catra replied, “Adora made her choice. She didn’t want me; she wanted to be She-Ra and right the Horde’s wrongs or whatever. You were just, you know. Her friend that made her feel like she didn’t have to do it alone. Unlike me. I had no one.”</p><p>Catra’s claws extended and she gripped the side of the bench, hard. Marks formed into the thin metal.</p><p>“Scorpia...” Glimmer started to say.</p><p>Catra shouted, “Don’t say her name!”</p><p>Glimmer paused. Catra’s claws dug deeper into the bench.</p><p>“You did have friends too, you know. I know you’re still mad at her, but...she was willing to put aside our differences <i>because</i> she cared about you.” Glimmer offered.</p><p>Catra let go of the bench and sighed.</p><p>Catra said, “What does it matter? I pushed her away. She’s not my friend anymore. I’m alone here. It doesn’t matter anymore.”</p><p>“Catra, you’re not alone. I’m here.” Glimmer said.</p><p>Catra scoffed. “You’re alone here too. Where’s your friends? They had to have abandoned you too, otherwise you would have showed up to the Fright Zone with them.”</p><p>Glimmer’s breath hitched.</p><p>“No. You’re right.” Glimmer admitted.</p><p>Catra’s tail perked up.</p><p>Catra asked, unsure, “I’m right?”</p><p>Glimmer had to be lying to her. No one ever told Catra she was right. And if they did, they had been lying to her.</p><p>“My best friends left me all right. I made a lot of terrible decisions that really hurt them, just like you. I am alone here.” Glimmer said.</p><p>Glimmer gently touched Catra’s hand. Catra shivered and considered yanking away. This was too much comfort at once. What hurt would follow if something this nice was happening right now? Feeling this happy couldn’t possibly be worth what kind of suffering was inevitably going to follow.</p><p>Glimmer offered, “But even though I’m alone here, you’re here. And that means maybe, we can be alone together?”</p><p>Catra wanted to scream. She wanted to throw Glimmer’s hand back in her face, maybe even scratch or bite her. But despite herself, Catra couldn’t bring herself to do so. She was at the bottom. There was nothing that could possibly get worse at this point - no friends, no future, no chance of ever leaving this jail cell. At least...not without working together with “Sparkles,” one of the more <i>annoying</i> of the princesses, but at least she was one of the more honest.</p><p>“Yeah, sure. Whatever.” Catra muttered.</p><p>She didn’t pull away from Glimmer, so Glimmer took that as permission to hug Catra. Catra pressed her face against Glimmer’s neck, and then started to cry.</p><p>Glimmer said, “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”</p><p>Catra didn’t really believe her, but this <i>temporary, probably false comfort</i> was better than nothing. This was better than what she had been going through.</p><p>There was only one bench. It was only one bed. They laid there together, Glimmer curled up in Catra’s arms. Catra’s memories flashed back to sharing a bed with Adora in the barracks. Adora had usually been the big spoon. Catra figured it came with the territory of simply being the taller one. Catra thought it was strange, to hold someone again, after all this time.</p><p>She wasn’t exactly expecting it would ever happen again, after she threw away every single friend she’d ever had.</p><p>It was comforting. Things still hurt. Everything, really. But Catra resigned herself to believing that maybe, just maybe this one time...she could have a friend. Maybe she wouldn’t even lose this one...at least not right away. They always left. That’s how friends were, according to Catra’s beliefs.</p><p>“My mom used to sing to me whenever I was really upset. Maybe singing what she used to sing right now will help.” Glimmer offered.</p><p>Catra rolled her eyes. “Sure. Whatever.”</p><p>
  <i>"We're on the edge of greatness<br/>
Turning darkness to light<br/>
We're right beside you<br/>
Ready to fight<br/>
We are gonna win in the end!<br/>
We must be strong!<br/>
And we must be brave<br/>
We must be brave!<br/>
We gotta find every bit of strength<br/>
That we have and never let it go!<br/>
We must be strong!”</i>
</p><p>When Catra was sure Glimmer was done singing, she spoke.</p><p>“That was terrible.” Catra snarked.</p><p>She expected to get a rise out of Glimmer. Surely, this had to have hurt her. Catra liked being the one to choose when a friendship ended. It made the hurt easier to stomach.</p><p>Glimmer twisted in Catra’s arms, pulling her closer instead of pushing her away. Catra was shocked. No. This is when the friend would leave. Why wasn’t Glimmer punishing her?</p><p>Glimmer said, “I know what you’re doing. You’re saying that because you think it will hurt me. But, I know you don’t mean it.”</p><p>Catra didn’t know what to say. She just laid there, silent.</p><p>Glimmer eventually fell asleep, gently snoozing against Catra’s warm hair. Catra was surprised at first that Glimmer trusted her enough to fall asleep in her arms, but then Catra brushed it off as princesses, no, <i>queens</i> being too trusting.</p><p>Eventually, Catra too grew tired, and despite misgivings, despite fear, she settled in against Glimmer, and fell asleep. This time, Catra chose comfort over hurt.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>February Prompt List can be found here: https://stillsyns.tumblr.com/post/190606697197/february-prompt-list</p><p>Prompts used:<br/>1. Hurt/Comfort<br/>2. Sleeping Arrangements</p><p>I listened on repeat to the song Open Up Your Eyes from the My Little Pony Movie as my baseline for Catra's emotions. The part of the title "Alone Together" was strongly inspired by watching the episodes of Steven Universe Alone Together and Together Alone as well as the Avatar and Korra episodes Zuko Alone and Korra Alone.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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